This invention relates generally to metal working apparatus and is particularly directed to a manually operated crimper for securing a fitting such as a ferrule to the end of a hose.
A ferrule, which is in the form of a rigid, tubular metal fitting, is generally attached to a hose end by a crimping, or swaging, process. During crimping, or swaging, the ferrule is mechanically compressed inwardly around its periphery so as to securely engage the outer surface of the hose. In this manner, a leak-free coupling is formed between the hose and ferrule for use in a closed, pressurized hydraulic system. With one end of the ferrule crimped to the end of the hose, its other end is frequently provided with threads to permit the hydraulic hose to be coupled to a hydraulically actuated and driven device. Such closed hydraulic systems are commonly used in agricultural applications such as in tractors, combines, etc.
Most prior art crimping arrangements are of the permanent, fixed installation type and are not adapted for use on-site or in the field. These fixed-type crimping arrangements also tend to be somewhat complex and expensive. Portable crimping devices are generally manually operated and are capable of use at remote sites to repair leaking hydraulic connections. Manually operated crimpers typically require a vise for maintaining the ferrule in a fixed position while the crimper engages the ferrule about its periphery and forms a narrow area of compression on the ferrule. It is the compressed area of the ferrule which engages the hose in a sealed manner.
The narrow crimped band around the ferrule engages the hose around its periphery over a short length of the ferrule and thus affords only limited protection against fluid leakage. In addition, because the ferrule compression area is of a very limited width, deformation of the ferrule during crimping frequently causes structural fatigue and cracking of the ferrule resulting in its eventual failure. Other manually operated hose end connecting tools require a special soft metal, or aluminum, ferrule because of the limited compressive force which they are capable of exerting. These types of ferrules are generally more expensive and difficult to obtain than conventional ferrules comprised of more commonly used metals and alloys.
The present invention is intended to overcome the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing a low cost, manually operated, portable hose end crimping device for securely affixing a ferrule to the end of a hose. The manual hose end crimper provides an extended ferrule compression area which is formed in a step-wise, incremental diameter reducing manner which subjects the ferrule to limited stress and reduces the likelihood of structural fatigue, cracking and ferrule destruction. The manual hose end crimper is adapted for use with ferrules having a wide range of diameters, with the crimper easily and precisely adjusted to a given ferrule size.